Students have their day in (mock) court

About 1,100 North County students participated in mock trials and heard talks Friday at the North County Courthouse in Vista. In this photo, students from St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School in Vista posed for a picture at the bench.
— Photo courtesy St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School

About 1,100 North County students participated in mock trials and heard talks Friday at the North County Courthouse in Vista. In this photo, students from St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School in Vista posed for a picture at the bench.
/ Photo courtesy St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School

The fifth graders from St. Francis School giggled with excitement as they checked out the jury box and sat in the judge’s chair inside a Vista courtroom Friday morning.

I am accusing THAT man!” a boy said, laughing and pointing into the visitors’ gallery.

“I say he’s guilty,” another boy said into the mic at the witness stand.

“A few minutes later, however, Judge Martin Staven entered the room and the horseplay died down with the news that this was no ordinary field trip tour.

Students exchanged surprised looks as their names were called and positions were appointed for the mock trial of two teenage girls accused of battery against a classmate. One of the girl’s mother also was tried for contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

Similar exercises were held in other courtrooms that morning, as 1,100 students from 15 North County schools participated in the annual Youth in Court Day at the North County Courthouse in Vista

Elementary, middle and high school students experience the justice system from a variety of perspectives in the annual event, beginning with mock trials in the morning and ending with serious afternoon discussions with high school students about crimes, investigations and consequences.

Unlike elementary students, 8th graders knew what they were in for when they arrived in court and were selected for their roles in advance.

In one morning session, students at Woodland Park School in San Marcos tried a case involving two boys -- a gang member named Mad Max and a student athlete named Streak -- accused of assaulting another boy, Punk, after a baseball game.

Witnesses gave conflicting versions of the story, although a surprise witness at the end revealed she saw Streak and another witness named Prez attacking Punk.

The 20-member jury broke in two groups, one deliberating the fate of Mad Max and the other Streak.

“Prez is known to lie,” one student juror said.

“The surprise witness pulled it all together,” another said.

In the end, jurors found Mad Max not guilty and Streak guilty. The bailiff began loudly preparing the handcuffs, which he then put on the student portraying Streak.

Acayla Miller, who played a prosecutor, said she had a feeling she had a good case against Streak.

“It was fun, but it was kind of scary,” she said. “I was just nervous because I didn’t know what I was doing.”

The fifth graders from St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School in Vista later found a high school student and her mother guilty in the assault of another student. A second girl accused in the assault was found not guilty because the evidence left jurors with reasonable doubt.

Student Adam Venancio played a witness and said the experience got him a little interested in the law.

Classmate Nathan Nguyen said playing a prosecutor definitely sparked an interest in him.

“It was fun,” he said. “You get to accuse people of things. It’s something I can’t do at home.”

Nathan said the experience made him consider a career in law because he likes uncovering things.